COVID-19 Tips & Updates from Nurse Mason
December 7, 2020
This week Nurse Mason has provided us with helpful insights as to how vaccines work, who should get a vaccine, and if masks might still be necessary.
There are also updates on COVID-19 exposure quarantine requirements from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. Read the news release here.
COVID-19 Vaccine Information
How do vaccines work?
COVID-19 vaccines help our bodies develop immunity to the virus that causes COVID-19 without us having to get the illness. Different types of vaccines work in different ways to offer protection, but with all types of vaccines, the body is left with a supply of “memory” T-lymphocytes as well as B-lymphocytes that will remember how to fight that virus in the future.
It typically takes a few weeks for the body to produce T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes after vaccination. Therefore, it is possible that a person could be infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 just before or just after vaccination and then get sick because the vaccine did not have enough time to provide protection.
Sometimes after vaccination, the process of building immunity can cause symptoms, such as fever. These symptoms are normal and are a sign that the body is building immunity.
Will I need to get two doses of the vaccine?
All but one of the COVID-19 vaccines that are currently in Phase 3 clinical trials in the United States use two shots. The first shot starts building protection. A second shot a few weeks later is needed to get the most protection the vaccine has to offer. One vaccine in Phase 3 clinical trials only needs one shot.
I tested positive for COVID-19 and have recovered, should I get vaccinated?
There is not enough information currently available to say if or for how long after infection someone is protected from getting COVID-19 again; this is called natural immunity. Early evidence suggests natural immunity from COVID-19 may not last very long, but more studies are needed to better understand this. Until we have a vaccine available and the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices makes recommendations to CDC on how to best use COVID-19 vaccines, CDC cannot comment on whether people who had COVID-19 should get a COVID-19 vaccine.
Will I still need to wear a mask if I get the vaccine?
There is not enough information currently available to say if or when CDC will stop recommending that people wear masks and avoid close contact with others to help prevent the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. Experts need to understand more about the protection that COVID-19 vaccines provide before making that decision. Other factors, including how many people get vaccinated and how the virus is spreading in communities, will also affect this decision.
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Nurse Mason is an Oakland County Health Department nurse assigned to St. Catherine of Siena Academy to help us keep our STARS and their families informed and safe this year.
Caroline Mason, M.Ed, BSN, RN
Oakland County School Nurse
248-318-9445
masonc@oakgov.com
